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  • Published: 8 December 2026
  • ISBN: 9780593953853
  • Imprint: Jove
  • Format: Paperback
  • Pages: 304
  • RRP: $45.00

Two Can Play That Game




After a chance courtside encounter, a fake relationship between a rising influencer and a WNBA star gets a little too real in this swoony sapphic romance.

Chelsea has never cared about sports. But when she’s invited to sit courtside at a New York Rebels game, she welcomes the break from her usual routine. What she doesn’t expect is a basketball nearly colliding with her face—or the six-foot-four hottie who jogs over, flashing a heart-stopping grin, to retrieve it.

Adrienne “AD” Daniels is a player on and off the court, notorious for their inability to stay in a relationship. Still, something about Chelsea sticks with them—even though their instant connection can’t bring AD to offer more than one night.

But AD’s agent makes a pitch: Chelsea should pretend to be AD’s girlfriend. It’s a strategic move. AD, hoping to retire after this season, needs to lock down some brand deals—but their identity as a Black, nonbinary lesbian with a messy dating history makes sponsors wary. Chelsea, a sex-positive influencer, is ready to take her platform to a new level, and this feels like the perfect next step. With Chelsea’s network and AD’s star power, they could both strengthen their public images. Once the season ends, they’ll go their separate ways.

As the ruse starts to work and their connection deepens, Chelsea finds herself on unsteady ground. Falling for AD wasn’t part of the plan, and if she follows through, she just might lose her heart and the future she’s finally starting to build.

  • Published: 8 December 2026
  • ISBN: 9780593953853
  • Imprint: Jove
  • Format: Paperback
  • Pages: 304
  • RRP: $45.00

About the author

Zakiya N. Jamal

Zakiya N. Jamal was born in Queens, raised on Long Island, and currently resides in Brooklyn. In other words, she’s a New Yorker through and through. She holds a BA in English from Georgetown University and a MFA in Creative Writing with a concentration in Writing for Children and Young Adults from The New School. You can find her on social media at @zakiyanjamal.

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Praise for Two Can Play That Game

Praise for Sparks Fly

"Both sexy and sweet, Sparks Fly is simply... delicious."—Lauren Blakely, #1 New York Times bestselling author

Sparks Fly delivered on every front: it has some hilarious commentary on online culture, an uncomfortably timely plotline on the threat of generative AI, and, most importantly, two characters who are, from page one, absolutely made for each other. For Max and Stella it’s chemistry at first boob, and I could read five hundred more pages of them getting to know each other, especially if they are narrated in Zakiya N. Jamal’s fresh, humorous voice. Sizzling, swoony, witty, and topical: this year, Sparks Fly is the romance debut you’ll absolutely want to pick up!”—Ali Hazelwood, #1 New York Times bestselling author

“An utter delight! Sparks Fly is a buoyant, refreshing romp about two real people navigating the complexities of modern love. Zakiya N. Jamal masterfully blends empowerment and ambition with humor and spice, and the result is one hundred percent electrifying.”New York Times bestselling author Rachel Lynn Solomon